In the world of wine there is a family of grapes known as the Pinots. They are called this because the French word for pine cone is pinot, which the grape clusters resemble. The grapes are the black, the grey, and the white.
The black grape (pinot noir), is the glory of French Burgundy and the biggest challenge to vintners everywhere. A difficult grape to grow, it has a wonderful flavor and velvety texture unmatched by any other varietal. Once only grown in France, it has spread across the globe with a proliferation of styles that expresses the true terrior of the region in which it is grown.
The wine has been known to drive people to the point of obsession, a muse in a glass that causes clear-headed individuals to seek only the most sensuous wine. It possesses such clarity in the color of its garnet shades that it is truly one of the most beautiful of all wines. Whether the cherry-cola quaffs of the West Coast or the light offerings from Tasmania, this is a wine worth pursuing.
The grey grape (pinot gris), is actually a mutation of pinot noir. It was discovered centuries ago in France when a vine showed its grapes to be bluish grey. It was cultivated and spread throughout Europe. It is arguably the most popular white wine in the U.S.
When grown in northern Italy, the grey grape, called pinot grigio, makes wine that is light and mineral-like with overtones of citrus and good acidity that shows it to be a good match for light fare. However, too much grigio is flat, bland and insipid. This is where you get what you pay for.
In the Alsace region, pinot gris is a different pedigree. The wines are full and rich with fruit, floral scents and a certain spice that permeates the palate. It matches well with rich, heavy food, matching the cuisine of this area between France and Germany. This wine is easy to spot on the shelf at your local store as it is bottled in the straight un-shouldered bottles that are an identifying feature of German wines. Try the gris, a truly exceptional drink and one of my favorites.
Pinot Blanc is our last subject and is the white grape. It is also a mutation from the pinot noir vines. Once again, the best examples are from northern Italy and Alsace. The wine itself is light and supple with freshness that means it should be drunk young. It is very much like a chardonnay without the oakiness that ruins so many examples today. Think of it as lighter, un-oaked Chablis. You may have a hard time finding it, but it is well worth the search.
Three wines all from the same vine. Much like any family, it is sometimes hard to believe they are related, but all three bring much joy to our world.
Keep sipping, Steve.
Steve Juliana of Hummelstown is a wine adviser and a life-long lover of wines.
